smiddy - oh sorry, thought with 8 years on here you'd have seen the statement. 'Let's review, it's a cult.' Not a question - no question mark.
Royal Commission Live Hearing Now
by LostinJapan 239 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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defender of truth
Mephis 5 hours ago
Spot on cha ching. And there we go again. In relation to positively encouraging people to go to therapy, "People have an absolute right to speak to who they want to." But here's 60 years of discouragement on going, and active advice about the dangers... oh, and they'd better not be df'd... and express concerns about the cult you're in... and...
Additionally, a recent Watchtower elder training video was leaked. It featured a dramatization showing two elders being approached by a distressed woman. The woman told them of her plan to commit suicide and, shockingly, the fictional elders never even mention the idea of professional assistance.
In the above training video (which I highly recommend watching) the woman in a mental health emergency is given a type of spiritual counseling in which the Bible, specifically the Book of Job, is the primary tool used. The video trains elders to use the Bible to cure medical problems, in total contradiction of the advice found in the Awake! article.
Speaking from both sides of the mouth
While the elders in the training video were in fictional situations, their behavior and actions are based on a confidential handbook called “Shepherd the Flock of God.” Under the section “Assisting Those Who are Weak” and the subheading “Encouraging Those Who Were Abused in Their Childhood,” the psychological and psychiatric communities are mentioned in two paragraphs:
“…It must be recognized that elders as such are not mental-health professionals or therapists but are spiritual shepherds. (1 Pet. 5: 2) Consequently, you should not conduct what some may view as group therapy.It is not necessary to spend time reading secular publications dealing with worldly psychology or psychiatry. You should not take on a role similar to that of a professional therapist. Someone who has serious mental or emotional illness may need professional help. – w88 10/15 p. 27”
At first glance, this paragraph seems like sensible advice for elders to avoid taking on the role of therapists. They are not qualified professionals and are rightly told to steer clear of that role. However, nothing is said about recommending the proper treatment. Rather, the text somewhat ambiguously confesses to the need for professional help for some people.
Four paragraphs on, the handbook elaborates on just what Watchtower wants to see from their elder bodies on the subject of professional assistance (emphasis mine):
“…There are times when an emotionally distressed Christian may seek professional help. Whether a Christian or his family pursues treatment from psychiatrists, psychologists, or therapists is a personal decision. An elder should not assume the responsibility of recommending a specific practitioner or facility. He may draw attention to or discuss material in the publications that provides cautions regarding therapies that may conflict with Bible principles. (w8B 10/15 pp. 28-29; w82 6/15 pp. 25-29; w75 pp. 255-256) While participating in group therapy by a professional therapist is a matter for personal decision, there could be a revealing of confidential facts about other members of the Christian congregation during such sessions if a Christian does not exercise discretion.”
They want seeking professional treatment to be the decision of the “distressed Christian,” without recommendation from the elders. This is precisely why, in the training video, professional assistance was never mentioned to the suicidal woman. The fictional elders’ behavior is just as prescribed in the handbook, which is to be enforced in the same way as a constitution would be adhered to by a board of directors.
The above paragraph even discourages therapy if it conflicts with “Bible principles” and speaks negatively of the potential for confidential facts to be revealed to a professional.
Awake! paints a positive, progressive public image, while the secret elders handbook is mired in concerns for protecting the corporation legally.
Watchtower wants to be seen making statements such as, “Mental-health disorders are not the result of personal weakness or a character flaw.” Yet, in their elder’s training material the only mention of professional help is in a section called “Assisting those who are weak.” Clearly, there are two religions present here: the real one that operates behind closed doors, and that which is shown to the public."
http://jwsurvey.org/news/watchtowers-advice-on-mental-health-a-tale-of-two-religions
Also:
www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/quotes/psychiatry.php
Please, would someone be kind enough to send these links, along with chaching's 2004 WT article, to the Royal Commission and Angus Stewart for me?
(Contact details in my last post)
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defender of truth
Please can someone email the quotes, especially the ones about theocratic warfare.
This comment from page 14 shows the power we have to inform the Commission..
"the royal committee was told he only does translation but *Stewart is telling o'brien they've been told the governing body decides everything* and is grilling him on what his role is."
Who do you think told them? The x-jw community!!
We can all make a difference.
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Mickey mouse
I have just sent this :
Giving witness under oath and the JWs
Hi
I want to bring this to your attention with regard to the testimony of Jehovah's Witnesses to the Royal Commission. Please see the section below the heading "When a Witness is Wise". They do not feel obligated to tell the whole truth. This is part of their "theocratic warfare" strategy.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2004846
Kind regards
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KiddingMe
Thanks Mickey Mouse! -
Mickey mouse
I hope it goes some way towards protecting the children in my extended JW family who are still vulnerable because of JW policies and procedures. My own children are free, at a cost of course. Their bible studies may be "free" and their literature "without charge" but there's one hell of a fee to leave. -
Zoos
Thanks for the blow-by-blow guys and gals. Very helpful for those of us who have no time to sit down and watch the videos. -
Splash
IS IT OK TO BE DECEPTIVE?
YES - Watchtower Oct 1, 1954, par 21, 25
"No harm is practiced by withholding incriminating information from one who is not entitled to know."YES - Watchtower May 1, 1957 Page 285 - 286.
"So in time of spiritual warfare it is proper to misdirect the enemy by hiding the truth."YES - Watchtower June 1, 1960, pages 351-352
"We must tell the truth to one who is entitled to know, but if one is not so entitled we may be evasive."YES - Insight On The Scriptures, Volume 2, 1988 pages 244-245.
"While malicious lying is definitely condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a person is under obligation to divulge truthful information to people who are not entitled to it"YES - w07 2/1 p. 6 Why Be Truthful?
So while Jesus did not utter an untruth, he gave them an incomplete answer in order to limit the possible harm they could do to him or to his followers.Theocratic warfare has long been a feature of the WT's dealings with worldly authorities. -
cha ching
Splash, did u email this list to the RC? It's great, and shows just how creative the Org can be.
WT does not use the same terminology in each instance, making it harder for anyone to be able to put their finger on it, which is all a part of their very well thought out "spiritual warfare."